Posts tagged: Pork loin

A great way to spend an afternoon with friends and family is to invite them over for a culinary adventure! I asked two of my friends, Gene and Hong, to walk me through Vietnamese spring roll making, and they both agreed to educate and share their experience with me.

To save money and time, Gene, Hong and I decided to share the task and cost of preparing some things at home the day before doing the spring rolls. I boiled two pounds of shrimp, Gene BBQ’d a pork loin, and Hong brought some fried tofu from a local vendor. Here’s how Gene and I prepared our stuff…

Scoop the shrimp out when they float to the top (small strainer helps)

Let them cool and then peel off the shell

(I could have put some Cajun spices to the boil but I didn’t think of it)

On the day we planned to make these spring rolls, we first went to an Asian supermarket, and for me this was the intimidating part! Most staff are willing to help but the easiest way is if you have an Asian friend to take you on a small tour. (Thanks, Hong!) This author was surprised to discover fresh and inexpensive herbs there! Compare prices at your local Asian market vs. regular grocery store and be amazed!

Here’s how we did all the prep work the day of of spring rolling…

Peanut Sauce Prep

Saute 4-5 shallot cloves, chopped

Once the shallots are caramelized, throw in 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 cup of hoison

1/3 of a jar of peanut butter

1 cup of water (or as much as desired in thickness)

Dash of rooster sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste

Rice Noodle Prep

Boil the rice noodles or bun (pronounced like boon) for about 5-8 minutes for a softer noodle

Separate the noodles in small clumps in a large strainer for easier pickin’s